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Red, White & Pink; Kosher Wines for the New Year

The color PINK conjures up many things - cotton candy, newborn baby girls and bubblegum, just to name a few. In the wine world, the color pink has come to garner a bad association – that of cheap, sweet and unsophisticated rose΄ wine. Though it was more salmon in color, I have memories of the sweet, easy drinking, soda-like White Zinfandel.

Today however more and more wine lovers are discovering rose΄. Rose΄ is an incredibly versatile wine that breaks all the rules. Many will argue that rose΄ is not a wine for serious wine drinkers, but on a warm summer day, at the beach, in the backyard, or even for a Shabbat afternoon meal, who needs serious or sophisticated? Give me a wine that will be refreshing, tasty and will enhance my meal and I’m a happy guy. Rose΄ can go with salad, fish (goes great with salmon) and is a crowd pleaser at BBQ’s, pairing wonderfully with burgers.

A new rose΄ that has recently hit the US market from France is the 2008 Domaine LaFond Tavel. This deeply colored rose΄ has a hint of sweetness but just the right amount of acidity to balance it out. Rose pedals, violets and watermelon are some of the aromas and flavors you may find in this wine. Try it with a strawberry salad.

From the Bordeaux region of France and part of the Rothschild wines is the 2008 Rose΄ De Clarke. This light salmon-colored wine is bone dry, with lip smacking acidity and floral aromas. Serve this one with a fish and/or salad appetizer at your next Shabbat/Yom Tov meal.

From California, the 2009 “Pink by W” is part of the “W” collection of wines. Given their easy drinking and affordable price point, the “W” wines have become quite popular since their release a few years ago. This rose΄ has a touch of sweetness and adds strawberry and cherry aromas and flavors. Having a BBQ and not sure what wine to serve? Pink by W will go great with a burger…while the “White by W” & “Red by W” can round out your BBQ wine offerings.

Finally, from Israel and the popular “Yogev” series comes a new rose΄ blend, made from somewhat unusual grapes; Carignan & Malbec. This 2009 Yogev Malbec/Carignan is another deep colored rose΄ offering a bouquet of aromas and flavors including strawberries, violets and bubblegum! Though you can enjoy this wine with fish, meat, pasta or salad, I think I’m going to go throw a bottle on ice and simply enjoy it on its own.